Edward James Olmos

ActorProducerDirectorProductionComposer Feb 24 (age 79) Los Angeles, California, USA 1968–2026 (58 year career)

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Biography

Edward James Olmos (born February 24, 1947) is an American actor, director, producer, and activist. He is best known for his roles as Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo in Miami Vice (1984–1989), actor in and director of American Me (1992), William Adama in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009), teacher Jaime Escalante in Stand and Deliver (1988), and Detective Gaff in Blade Runner (1982), and its sequel Blade Runner 2049 (2017). In 2018, he played the father of two members of an out…

Known For

Film

Coco

Chicharrón (voice)

Film

Blade Runner

Gaff

Film

Blade Runner 2049

Gaff

Film

Battlestar Galactica

Commander William Adama

Film

The Road to El Dorado

Chief (voice)

Film

Battlestar Galactica

Commander Adama

Film

Selena

Abraham Quintanilla

Film

2 Guns

Papi Greco

Filmography

Acting (141)

Movies (99)

American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez

2026

as Narrator

One Fast Move

as Abel

Outlaw Posse

as Ossie

Walking with Herb

as Joe Amable-Amo

Chasing Wonders

as Luis

The Blade Runner Phenomenon

2021

as Self - Actor (Gaff)

6.9

Space Songs: Through the Distance

2020

as Self

The Disney Family Singalong - Volume II

as Self

A Dog's Way Home

as Axel

The Devil Has a Name

as Santiago

Imprisoned

as Hospicio

Windows on the World

as Balthazar

Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage

2019

as Self

Carlos Almaraz: Playing with Fire

2019

as Self

4.5

Every Night's a Saturday Night

2018

as Self

8.0

The Eyes of Martin Castillo

2018

as Martin Castillo (archive footage)

Blade Runner 2049

2017

as Gaff

7.6

Coco

2017

as Chicharrón (voice)

8.2

Blade Runner: Black Out 2022

2017

as Gaff (voice)

7.1

LA 92

2017

as Self (archive footage)

7.7

L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later

as Himself

Americano

as Gayo (voice)

Monday Nights at Seven

2016

as Charlie

Unity

2015

as Narrator (voice)

7.5

Exile Nation: The Plastic People

as Narrator (voice)

Agave is Life

as Narrator (voice)

The Journey of a Female Comic

2 Guns

as Papi Greco

Go for Sisters

as Freddy Suárez

Filly Brown

as Leandro

A Bridge Apart

as (Voice)

The Green Hornet

as Michael Axford

America

as Mr. Irving

I'm Still Here

as Edward James Olmos

6.0

A Class Apart: A Mexican American Civil Rights Story

2009

as Narrator

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan

2009

as Commander William Adama

6.8

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

2008

as Diablo (voice)

5.4

Battlestar Galactica: Razor

2007

as Admiral William Adama

7.2

Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner

2007

as Self

7.9

Fashion Forward: Wardrobe and Styling

2007

as Self

Deck-A-Rep: The True Nature of Rick Deckard

2007

as Self

Walkout

as Julian Nava

Splinter

as Captain garcia

Recycled Life

as Narrator

La Cerca

as Narrator / Old Niño

The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema

2002

6.2

In the Time of the Butterflies

2001

as Rafael Leónidas Trujillo

6.3

The Judge

2001

as Judge Armando Acosta

4.5

The Road to El Dorado

2000

as Chief (voice)

7.3

The Princess and the Barrio Boy

as Nestor Garcia

Gossip

as Detective Curtis

Bonanno: A Godfather's Story

1999

as Salvatore Maranzano

4.3

The Unfinished Journey

as Narrator (voice)

Zapatista

as Narrator (voice)

The Wall

as Col. Holst (segment "The Pencil Holder")

5.7

The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit

1998

as Vamanos

6.7

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

1998

as Det. Anthony Piscotti

5.1

Selena

1997

as Abraham Quintanilla

12 Angry Men

as Juror 11

Selena Remembered

as Narrator (voice)

Hollywood Confidential

1997

as Stan Navarro, Sr.

4.1

Prophecies of the Millennium

1997

as Host

Sunset Boulevard - 27 Meilen Amerika

1997

as Self - Actor, Director, Latino-Activist

Manu: Peru's Hidden Rain Forest

1997

as Narrator

Caught

as Joe

Death in Granada

as Roberto Lozano

The Limbic Region

as Lucca

My Family

as Paco

Mirage

as Matteo Juarez

Slave of Dreams

as Potiphar

Lives in Hazard

as self

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

1994

as Musician at Barbecue (uncredited)

4.4

The Burning Season

1994

as Wilson Pinheiro

6.1

Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills

as Jose Menendez

A Million to Juan

as The Angel

Roosters

as Gallo Morales

Learning Not To Hurt

as Self

American Me

1992

as Montoya Santana

7.4

Maria's Story

1991

as José Serrano (voice)

Talent for the Game

1991

as Virgil Sweet

6.3

The Earth Day Special

1990

as Hospital Director

6.3

Triumph of the Spirit

1989

as Gypsy

6.6

Stand and Deliver

1988

as Jaime A. Escalante

Saving Grace

as Ciolino

Blue Collar & Buddha

as Narrator

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez

as Gregorio Cortez

The Nightingale

as Prime Minister

Blade Runner

as Gaff

Seguin

as Gen. Santa Anna

Wolfen

as Eddie Holt

Zoot Suit

as El Pachuco

300 Miles for Stephanie

1981

as Art Vela

Virus

as Captain Lopez

Dead Angle

Evening in Byzantium

as Angelo

Alambrista!

as 1st Drunk

Aloha Bobby and Rose

as Chicano #1

Office Romance

as Captain Jack Cruz

Blue Collar & Buddha

Television (42)

Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

2023

as Molecule Man (voice)

7.7

100 Years of Warner Bros.

as Self

La Californie !

as Self - Actor

Bless This Mess

as Randy

Mayans M.C.

as Felipe Reyes

The Real History of Science Fiction

2014

as Himself

7.0

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

2013

as Robert Gonzales

7.5

Portlandia

2011

as Edward James Olmos

7.0

Blue Bloods

2010

as Lorenzo Batista

7.8

Dave Navarro's Spread

Eureka

as First sled dog

Dexter

as Prof. James Gellar

8.2

Battlestar Galactica

2004

as Commander William Adama

8.2

The Batman

2004

as Chief Rojas (voice)

Battlestar Galactica

as Commander Adama

George Lopez

as Mr. Vega

American Family

as Jess Gonzalez

Greetings from Tucson

2002

as Priest

The Judge

2001

as Judge Armando Acosti

The West Wing

as Roberto Mendoza

Gun

as Father Santos

The Rosie O'Donnell Show

1996

as Self

3.9

E! True Hollywood Story

Dead Man's Walk

as Captain Salazar

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

1995

as Rey Emiliano (voice)

500 Nations

Touched by an Angel

as Col. Victor Walls

The Magic School Bus

as Mr. Ramon (voice)

The Simpsons

as Pit Master (voice)

8.0

The Fortunate Pilgrim

as Frank Corbo

Miami Vice

as Martin Castillo

Faerie Tale Theatre

as Prime Minister

Hill Street Blues

CHiPs

The Fitzpatricks

as Don Vasquez

Starsky & Hutch

as Julio Gutierez

The Blue Knight

as Clemente (as Ed Olmos)

Police Woman

Kojak

as Paco

Police Story

Cannon

Hawaii Five-O

as Dancer

Crew (14)

Movies (12)

Say a Little Prayer

2024

Executive Producer

The Devil Has a Name

Director

The Devil Has a Name

Producer

Go for Sisters

Producer

Filly Brown

Executive Producer

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan

Director

Walkout

Director

Selena Remembered

Producer

American Me

Director

American Me

Producer

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez

1983

Associate Producer

6.9

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez

1983

Original Music Composer

6.9

Television (2)

Battlestar Galactica

Director

Miami Vice

Director